Percentage of sales of UV, Scratch and AR

[Russ in Texas]

I'd like to hear everyone's ballpark number on their percentage of sales on UV, scratch coat, and AR.

My current optical staff's percentages are abysmal compared to what I think they should be but maybe I'm wrong. I'd like to know what is the average percentage that most of you experience separately on each of these items. It will give me some goals to tell my opticians to shoot for.

Thanks in advance!
Russ

[ziggy]

Dr. Russ, have you staff start to sell poly or trivex. It has uv filtration bilt in to the lens, you will find it better for your patients and thebottom line. As for ar, national average is around 35% far less in rual areas and higher in the city. Paul

[Happylady]

I sell a lot of AR because I am a huge believer in it. I rarely sell scratch coat as AR includes it. I rarely sell UV because I don't sell much CR39. If I sell a standard plastic lens without AR I almost always sell scratch coat and usually sell UV.

[chip anderson]

Scratch coat on everything that doesn't have it "naturally" unless pt. request that we not do same. Little UV except on suns.
Little AR as most of my patients are full time CL wearers and only wear glasses in the bedroom to find thier contacts with. I just can't bring my self to stick them for this if this is the only use for the glasses.

Chip

[tntborden]

I think we have another forum that might be better for this conversation. A little privacy might be better.

Thomas

[Happylady]

Little AR as most of my patients are full time CL wearers and only wear glasses in the bedroom to find their contacts with. I just can't bring my self to stick them for this if this is the only use for the glasses.

Chip

Does this mean you don't even offer it? If so, shouldn't you let your patients decide if it is something they want?

[chip anderson]

It means I am not on commission, have no boss to impress and think it's a waste of money, in most circumstances.

[Jacqui]

Here all lenses are UV SRC, and about 40 - 45% AR. We do lots of higher Rx's and lots of Franklin Bi's. Our charity work is also all UV SRC and AR on the 1.67.

[Happylady]

It means I am not on commission, have no boss to impress and think it's a waste of money, in most circumstances.

YOU think it's a waste of money but your customers might not. You shouldn't push it, but should offer it. Not offering it is doing your customers a disservice in my opinion. :)

[Framebender]

48%AR, 8% warranted SRC and too few UVs to mention. We're at the northern end of Austin. We see alot of Dell, AMD, IBM and other high tech folks.

It sounds like there may be a leadership issue rather than presentation issue in your office. I mean absolutely no offence by that.

Good luck to you!!

:cheers:

[bob_f_aboc]

I run about 1% CR-39 and the ones that get that won't pay for scratch or UV (waiver of warranty and no UV required for pt file). Everything else comes with a scratch coat built in. A/R runs currently YTD 59.6%. Most parents won't even entertain the idea of A/R for their kids but wouldn't dare get theirs without it.

I'm about 10 miles east of Framebender so the high tech thing applies here too.

[fvc2020]

In our office we rarely sell cr39, so uv real low...as for ar we run 80%...I know chip thinks its a push, but we believe in it....we don't have commision here and my doctors also really believe in it..as for sc we coat everything not ar(with very few exceptions).

Chip are you crazy?...I have a high minus and wear contacts why would I not want a pair of ar lenese w/my 1.67? I think you're doing a disservice to your patients....

christina

[Jedi]

Ar in our office is almost standard, even clients that had issue with it in the past love the easy clean aspect of the new coatings. We don't see very many kids in the office, but most parents will pay the extra. I had a real hard time personally selling it on sunwear, but now that there are some really solid backside coatings it is always presented.

[ezrich]

more then 80% ar. most kids get ar also. when given all the info, most pts go with it.

[Senorwes1]

At our office, which is in a small town of less than 10,000 people, we have a high percentage of Premium lens sales, about 80% either poly, trivex, or hi-index. We sell very little CR39. Also, our Transitions percent is about 30% and our AR percent is about 65%. We include scratch resistance and UV coating on all of our lenses already. If you offer EVERY patient these lens options, and let them make the decision, you will see that your percentages will increase. You don't have to be pushy, just offer it to them. You'd be surprised just how many patients don't even know that these great products exist. It's our duty to educate them. They came to us for a reason! One big thing you can do is recommend these products from the exam chair. You will be really surprised how many people will buy something just because a doctor told them about it. I don't like the idea of commission but you may come up with some type of monthly reward for your staff member that has the highest sales poly, AR, etc. Cash is always a big incentive. Good luck!

[cocoisland58]

All of our lenses are coated and UV400. The only time we sell cr39 is when we are going to hand tint so we order uncoated and then UV them ourselves. Our AR sales run about 30% and seem to be growing.

[john-atlanta]

Your staff will always fight an uphill battle to explain the value of these products to patients if you, as the doctor, do not recommend them.

I recommend appropriate things to my patients based upon their Rx, lifestyle, work and health situation.

Then, I tell my optician (in front of the patient) what I recommended and briefly recap why. Then the optician is selling nothing, but rather, simply implementing what the doctor prescribed.

That means 9 of 10 patients get what is recommended on the first pair. Second pairs are harder though, because patients seem to consider cost more on these pairs.

We don't even offer naked CR39 lenses, as our price includes scratch and UV, so for those patients that get CR39 without AR, SC and UV is 100%

John :cheers:

[Russ in Texas]

48%AR, 8% warranted SRC and too few UVs to mention. We're at the northern end of Austin. We see alot of Dell, AMD, IBM and other high tech folks.

It sounds like there may be a leadership issue rather than presentation issue in your office. I mean absolutely no offence by that.

Good luck to you!!

:cheers:

You're correct Framebender, it is a leadership issue that I'm currently working to resolve.

[Ammo]

Given I believe in AR so much, I dont even offer the Px's an option to get their lenses without it. (its only an extra $45 AUD) Considering they are buying premium frames, I take the initiative of supplying their lens quotes which all included an AR coated lens. (all of the 1.6's and over come standart with an AR coat and digital surfacing).

It depends on your loacation/demographic as well. (And how well you believe in the product yourself.)

Happy reading of a 2yo thread!

[RetroRat]

Given I believe in AR so much, I dont even offer the Px's an option to get their lenses without it.

I hope you don't have any patients who are bakers, with all that flour in the air you'll be seeing them come back with crazed lenses in no time

[canaanlilli]

Out of curiosity, how are you presenting a/r to the parents?

I run between 60 to 80% a/r depending on my medicaid and medicare numbers. On non-medicaid kids I run 80% consitently. I rarely sell anything lower than trivex, and when we do we include UV and basic scratch.

My CL's wearers normally get the A/R because we encourage them to take out their cl's after 8-14 hours and most of them are at home watching tv or doing computer work at that point. PLUS we are using the 2 y unlimited warranty a/r's...so if they get just basic scratch it's 1 x in two years replacement.

BIGGEST TIP...Remind parents that kids are doing increased computer work in school, that a/r is very durable and easy to clean( if you are using the good coats), and that the white boards at school give off horrible glare. Of course it is easier to feel comfortable selling a/r to kids if you a) have one who wears glasses and b) strongly believe in the benefits.

[scriptfiller]

I would estimate about 70% of our pat's have A/R on their lenses. I remember one day a few weeks ago where every single pair I cut had A/R. ~20prs.

[Ammo]

I hope you don't have any patients who are bakers, with all that flour in the air you'll be seeing them come back with crazed lenses in no time

Cant say Ive ever had to sell to a baker in my life to be honest. Would love to meet a baker who wants to wear a top end designer frame as his work glasses though!

[opticalcathy]

I just want to say, than even if I don't dispense eyewear lenses- I would never consider buying glasses without, no matter what and out of my closest 25 friends and family who 'only use eyeglasses as a backup' none of them would ever consider buying eyewear without UV, sC or AR. I trained all of them years ago and woe to them if they don't buy these options. In fact- I now recommend backside AR, since I started using it. And I have AR on my reading glasses that I only use occaisonally.

[Uilleann]

A very poor month for us sees A/R penetration at about 88%. A good month is 95%-98%. UV and scratch "add-ons" are almost completely negated with, as others here have said, the use of poly or other high index lens material options.